October is Energy Awareness Month, so I went looking for specific ways homeowners could reduce soaring energy bills. The experts at Therma-Tru (thermatru.com) reached out with their perspective, advising homeowners to evaluate their exterior doors, which could provide a major gateway to energy losses, or savings.

Brad Johnson, a VP with Therma-Tru Corp says leaking air through older entry doors and inefficient insulation within the door itself can increase heating and cooling bills.

October is an ideal time each year to evaluate the doors in the home, conduct minor maintenance and make a determination if any door needs to be replaced.

Johnson reports that most homeowners can get years of service from their front door, but, just like all major items in the home, it will eventually need to be replaced.

And he offers these easy tips on how to evaluate the main entry door and determine when it's time to consider a door replacement:

Open and close the door on both dry and wet, humid days to make sure all the components operate smoothly. If the door doesn't close securely, then it’s most likely leaking air, causing the home to lose energy.

Inspect the weather stripping around all sides of the front door. On a bright day, stand inside near the door and look for daylight flowing through the door perimeter. If light is coming in, then so most likely, is external air and possibly moisture.

Examine the locks to make sure they operate smoothly and are strong enough to help protect the home. Multi-point locking systems offer exceptional peace-of-mind and security for the home as well as greater energy savings.

Reach out and touch the door on hot and cold days. If you feel exterior temperatures on the inside surface, then the door may not have adequate insulation. In this situation, homeowners should consider upgrading the door with a replacement that is more energy efficient and ENERGY STAR® qualified.